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NEW YOBK CITY. 




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PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 
1891. 



NEW YORK CITY. 






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phiIjAdelphi A : • 
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 
1891. 



Copyright, 1891, by J. B. Lippincott Company. 



■iin iSTEREOTYPERSANDPRINTERSl| ll» 






NEW YORK CITY. 



New York City, the largest and most important 
city on the American continent, and the third wealth- 
iest on the globe, is situated on the east side of 
Hudson (here called North) River, at its confluence 
with the East River (q.v.), which opens into Long 
Island Sound. It lies in the state of New York, in a 
straight line 8^ miles, and by the waterway about 
12 miles from the ocean, in 40° 42' 43'' N. lat, and 
74° o^ 3^^ W. long. It comprises the island of Man- 
hattan, formed by the two rivers, which is separated 
from the mainland by a narrow strait, the east portion 
of which is known as Harlem River, and the west as 
Spuyten Duyvil Creek. It also includes several small 
islands in the inner bay and East River. In 1873 the 
city's limits were extended so as to embrace 12,100 
acres on the mainland, lying toward the east and 
north, in Westchester county, as far as the city of 
Yonkers. The total area of New York City now 
embraces 41^ sq. m. Manhattan island is 131^ miles 
long, with an average breadth of if mile. A rocky 
ridge runs through the upper part of its western side, 
rising to 238 feet, known as Washington Heights. 



4 NEW YORK CITY. 

With the exception of a small portion of wild and 
stony space, which is being utilised for ornamental 
purposes, the entire island is laid out in avenues and 
streets, lined with houses ; its area includes several 
greens and parks. The lower part of the city has to 
a considerable extent been extended by filling in on 
the two river-sides. 

The bar at Sandy Hook, i8 miles south of the city, 
which divides the Atlantic Ocean from the outer bay, 
is crossed by two ship-channels, from 21 to 32 feet 
deep at ebb-tide. The lower bay covers 88 sq. m. for 
anchorage. In it are buildings for quarantine and 
hospital purposes, and an anchored floating hospital- 
ship, in charge of a health-officer. The Narrows, 
through which all large ships pass on their way to the 
inner harbour, is a strait between Long Island and 
Staten Island, about a mile in width, 8 miles distant 
from the city, in a south-easterly direction. This 
approach is defended by Forts Wadsworth, Tompkins, 
and Hamilton. There is also another channel leading 
from the sea, through the so-called Kills, around 
Staten Island, between it and the New Jersey shore ; 
only vessels of light draught can approach by this 
route. Vessels that come from the north and east, by 
way of Long Island Sound, pass the fortifications at 
Throgg's Neck on the mainland and Willett's Point 
on Long Island, about 10 miles from the city; their 
nearer approach is hindered by the rocky shoals and 
intricacies at Hell Gate (see Blasting). New York's 
harbour or inner bay covers about 14 sq. m. ; it is one 
of the amplest, safest, and most picturesque on the 
globe, open all the year round ; many waterways place 



NEW YORK CITY. 




Hudsoa 
lliver. 



Spuyten 
Duyvil 
Creek. 



Long 
Island 
Sound, 



Hell Gate. 



Long 
Island 
City. 



Navy 
Yard. 



Brooklyn 



Long 
laland. 



6 NEW YORK CITY. 

it in easy communication with the interior. Bridges 
span the East River and Harlem River, and about 
thirty steam-ferries are in constant intercourse with 
the neighbouring shores. The island of Manhattan 
has nearly 25 miles of water-frontage, of which 13 
miles are on the Hudson River side; a large, unim- 
proved part of the shore remains for future extension. 
The city is the centre of finance and commerce of 
the United States. It receives 66 per cent, of all the 
imports, and sends abroad 44 per cent, of the exports- 
Over 4000 steamers and 4000 sailing-vessels enter 
and clear in the coastwise trade, and 2150 steamers 
and 5000 sailing-vessels in the foreign trade. The 
annual exports of merchandise in 1890 amounted to 
about ;^400,ooo,ooo, the imports to over ^500,000,000. 
There are more than seventy wooden piers on each 
river; and for want of convenient wharf accommoda- 
tion several lines of foreign steamers have transferred 
their piers to the shores of Brooklyn and New Jersey, 
while a large amount of staple produce from the 
southern states and from distant lands is housed on 
the wharves and in the large storehouses of Brooklyn. 
Liberty Island, for a long time known as Bedloe's 
Island, is situated in the harbour, about ij^ mile 
from the lower end of the city. In 1886 the famous 
Bartholdi (q.v.) statue was erected on this spot, and 
occupies its central surface. The New York and 
Brooklyn Suspension Bridge (see Brooklyn) spans 
the East River from opposite the old City Hall Park. 

Old New York is laid out very irregularly. Here 
the money interests and wholesale traffic are centred. 
Wall, New, and Broad streets are the great centres 



NEW YORK CITY. y 

in which banking and speculative enterprises are 
conducted to an enormous extent. The first-named 
thoroughfare is hardly half a mile in length, but in 
extent of business is perhaps unequalled by any other 
locality on the globe. The newer part of the city, 
from 14th Street to the end of the island, northward, 
is divided into twelve great avenues and several 
smaller ones, from 75 to 150 feet in width, running 
north and south. These are crossed at right angles 
by streets, mostly 60 feet in width, running from river 
to river. Fifth Avenue, the great modern central 
thoroughfare, divides the city into eastside and west- 
side. Twenty street blocks measure a mile ; every 
tenth street is double the usual width, designed for 
business purposes. Among old inhabitants remote 
parts of the city still bear the names of former village 
sites. The original great thoroughfare, Broadway, 
runs a distinct, devious course through the regular 
street arrangement, making several short angles and 
turns through the middle of the island. On reaching 
59th Street it resolves itself into a grand boulevard. 
The streets, in general, are substantially paved, and at 
night well lighted by gas and electric lights. Many, 
however, are suffered to remain in an unswept and 
neglected condition. In the lower part of the city 
obstructions are often permitted permanently to oc- 
cupy the sidewalks, and pedestrians are compelled, 
among carts and horses, to explore their way through 
the middle of the street. 

Night and day sumptuous passenger steamers pass 
up and down Hudson River, Long Island Sound, and 
beyond the Narrows, down to the lower bay. Lines 



3 NEW YORK CITY. 

of railroad radiate from the Grand Central Depot ; 
others run from the opposite shores of New Jersey 
and Brooklyn. The large city depot is 695 feet long 
and 240 wide; about 125 trains arrive and depart daily. 
Several of the city's avenues are traversed their full 
length by elevated steam passenger-railroads, built on 
wrought-iron structures, which from early dawn to 
midnight carry crowds of local passengers. Besides 
these there are many lines of horse and cable tram- 
ways, and a few worked by electric agency. Already 
these modes of conveyance are so overtaxed that 
additional travelling facilities are urgently demanded. 
More river-bridges, a viaduct avenue, subterranean 
roadways, and tunnelling under the rivers are in active 
contemplation ; for most of these enterprises charters 
have already been granted. The number of houses 
is estimated at above 120,000, mostly built of red 
brick, the better class of brown sandstone, a few of 
wood. Besides these there are stores built of iron, 
brown and yellow sandstone, and a few of marble ; 
little granite is being used in modern structures. The 
construction of wooden buildings in the lower part of 
the city has been interdicted. The modern tendency 
is to build roomy, tall, fireproof and semi-fireproof 
structures for apartment-houses and for business pur- 
poses, the internal ascents of which are made, from 
story to story, by mechanical elevators. Most of these 
structures range from 75 to lOO feet in height, and 
are costly and elegant. Among prominent public 
edifices are noteworthy : the City Hall, County Court- 
house, Custom-house, Treasury Building, Tombs 
(prison), Barge Office, Masonic Temple, Academy of 



NEW YORK CITY. 



Design, Cooper Union, Post-office, Produce Exchange, 
Madison Square Garden Hall, University of the City 
of New York, Lenox Library, Temple Emanuel, 
Trinity Church, and the Roman Catholic cathedral, 
besides numerous large, imposing hotels and palatial 
dwellings and business depots. In many cases vaulted 
basements and sub-cellars are laid out under the 
buildings and sidewalks on an extensive scale. Among 
the apartment-houses conspicuous for size and luxu- 
rious appointments are Navarro's Spanish Flats, the 
Dakota, Gerlach, Knickerbocker, Florence, and Cen- 
tral Park structures. In out-of-the-way side streets 
the dependent and poorer classes are huddled together 
in equally tall, brick-built, dirty, yardless tenement 
houses. Immense retail bazaars and arcades are found 
on Broadway, Grand Street, 14th, 23d, and 125th 
Streets, and 3d, 6th, and 8th Avenues. 

The city government is under a mayor and board of 
aldermen ; these offices are mostly filled by adopted 
citizens from Ireland and Germany, who form a large 
part of the city's voting elements. The police force 
numbers 3420 men; there are thirty-five station- 
houses, where prisoners are temporarily conveyed, 
and shelter is provided for the homeless at night. 
New York has a paid fire-department, conducted at 
an annual expense of ;^2,ooo,ooo, and divided into 76 
companies; 1039 well-trained men and 337 horses are 
employed. Its appointments include, among others, 
89 steam fire-engines, 15 trucks, and 84 telegraph 
stations. The lighting of the city is mostly done with 
gas, although electric lighting is gradually being 
brought into use. Of public gas-lamps there are 



lO NEW YORK CITY. 

some 25,000. Four gas companies are in operation, 
and have together about 900 miles of mains laid under 
ground. The Croton Aqueduct conveys to the city 
an ample supply of soft water from the Croton River 
and its lakes, a distance of about 40 miles, to the four 
reservoirs of the city (see Aqueduct). In Central Park 
the retaining reservoir holds 1,030,000,000 gallons, 
the receiving reservoir 150,000,000 gallons, the dis- 
tributing reservoir on 5th Avenue 20,000,000 gallons ; 
at High Bridge there is also a high-service reservoir, 
with a capacity of 11,000,000 gallons. The iron 
main-pipes are little short of 500 miles in length. 
Electric telegraphs and telephones are largely in use. 
The New York General Post-office building, erected 
of granite, at a cost of ^6,500,000, was first occupied 
in 1875. It is situated in what was formerly known 
as the City Hall Park, in the lower part of the city. 
More than 2500 persons are here employed. There 
are 18 stations and 20 sub-stations in various parts of 
the city, and 1 600 lamp-post boxes. A federal com- 
missioner now receives and attends to the wants of 
immigrants. In some years the immigration by way 
of New York has risen to nearly half a million. 

The Battery Green encloses twenty-one acres, 
planted with trees, shrubbery, and grass, and occupies 
the most southern point of Manhattan Island; it 
marks the original site of Nieu Amsterdam. After 
the American revolution it was used for military and 
civic displays, and from that time until near the 
middle of the 19th century was the fashionable prom- 
enade. On its west side is Castle Garden (q.v.). The 
grading of Central Park was begun in 1857. It is 



NEW YORK CITY. 



laid out in the highest style of art, containing walks, 
drives, and bridle-paths, and is decorated with arti- 
ficial lakelets, fountains, bridges, monuments, statues, 
recreative and garden structures. It also holds the 
Egyptian obelisk, brought from Alexandria in 1880. 
Within the park confines, besides the reservoirs, are 
the Museum of Art and buildings for a zoological 
collection, while 'annex' grounds contain the Museum 
of Natural History. Central Park comprises 843 
acres, extends from 59th to iioth Street, and is 
bounded by 5th and 8th Avenues ; its dimensions are 
thus 2>^ miles by f mile. Riverside Park is a narrow, 
irregular strip of land, running alongside the Hudson 
from 72d to 130th Street, much used for riding and 
driving purposes. On the newly-acquired mainland 
two extensive parks have been laid out— Jerome and 
Van Cortlandt— the first named being used as a race- 
course. 

New York has 97 local fire-insurance companies, 10 
local marine-insurance companies, 39 local life-insur- 
ance companies, 83 commercial banks (of which several 
have a capital of $5,000,000), 23 savings-banks, and 
15 trust-companies. About 288 newspapers (daily, 
weekly, and monthly) are published— some of them 
are in foreign languages; the prominent journals 
occupy immense buildings Dispensaries, hospitals, 
and charitable institutions are numerous. Homes for 
the aged and crippled, the insane, idiots, blind, deaf 
and dumb, magdalens, and foundlings are provided. 
Of church buildings there are about 400—91 Episco- 
pal, 88 Methodist, 84 Presbyterian, 59 Roman Catholic, 
54 Baptist, and 29 Jewish. There are congregations 



12 NEW YORK CITY. 

of Christian-Israelites, Swedenborgians, Salvation- 
Armyists, Spiritualists, and Chinese. Of the public 
schools 47 are primary and 85 grammar-schools each 
jointly under a male and female principal. Many 
children of Roman Catholic parents are being with- 
held from these institutions, in favour of parish schools 
of their own denomination. The day attendance at 
public schools averages 307,000; at evening schools 
about 20,000. There are four general colleges — 
Columbia, the University of the City of New York, 
the College of the City of New York, and the Normal 
College ; the last two belonging to the public-school 
system. Besides these there are many special colleges 
and academies. Union Theological Seminary (Presby- 
terian), the Protestant Episcopal General Theological 
Seminary, &c. Among libraries may be named the 
Astor, with 240,000 volumes; Mercantile, 207,000; 
Columbia College, 105,000; Apprentices', 84,000; 
Historical Society 72,000; and Society, 70,000. Be- 
sides these there are a number of free circulating 
libraries. The Museum of Art, Museum of Natural 
History, and Lenox Gallery are free to the public. 
Annual exhibitions of paintings and statuary are held 
at the Academy of Design and other places, and of 
mechanical inventions at the hall of the American 
Institute. The theatres number 24, besides an opera- 
house and numerous concert-halls. Among the 
wealthy club life is rapidly on the increase; in a few 
instances it extends to the gathering of women. Noted 
clubs are the Manhattan, Union, New York, St Nich- 
olas, Knickerbocker, Union League, University, Lotus, 
Harmonic, and Century. Of musical clubs and singing 



NEW YORK CITY, I^ 

societies there are many, mostly under German leader- 
ship and patronage. Prominent are the Liederkranz, 
with 1600 members, and Arion, with 800 members. 
The principal orchestral society is the Philharmonic. 

John Verrazani, a Florentine navigator, was the first 
European who entered New York bay, in 1525. His 
exploration was interrupted by a storm that compelled 
him to put to sea without making a settlement. In 
1609 Henry Hudson entered Hudson River, and, 
trading with the aborigines, ascended the stream for 
about a hundred miles. In 1614 the Dutch built a fort 
on Manhattan Island, and in 1623 a permanent settle- 
ment was made, named Nieu Amsterdam. In 1674 
Manhattan Island came into the possession of Great 
Britain, who gave it the name of New York, in honour 
of James, Duke of York. At the time of the Ameri- 
can Revolution the city's population was less than that 
of Philadelphia and Boston. It was evacuated by the 
forces of Great Britain in 1783, and from 1785 to 1789 
was the seat of government of the United States. In 
1774 the city census, taken by government, showed a 
population of 22,861 ; (1800) 60,489; (1825) 166,136; 
(1850) 550,394; (i860) 813,669; (1870) 942,292; 
(1880) 1,206,599; (1890) 1,513,501. A recounting 
was made by the city police in the last-named year, 
under the direction of the mayor, in which the returns 
amounted to 1,710,715 persons. Should we add the 
populations of several adjacent cities that bear a 
suburban relation to the great metropolis, the busy 
hive would count no less than three million people. 
See Histories by Lossing (2 vols. 1885) and by 
Roosevelt (1891). 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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